Saturday, February 12, 2005
Admiral's visit fuels speculation of Su-30 MKI inductionIndian chief of naval staff, admiral Arun Prakash's trip to the Pune air base's 20 squadron fuels speculation of a maritime strike role for the Su-30MKI.
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French Air Force accept their first EC725French “Délégation Générale pour l’Armement” (DGA) accepted the first EC 725 on Thursday February 10th 2005. This EC725 is dedicated to C-SAR missions for the French Air force. The EC 725 is the latest member of the Cougar family.
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Boeing to roll out first KC-767 tankerBoeing chief executive Harry Stonecipher will be in Wichita on Feb. 24 to celebrate the rollout of the first KC-767 aerial refueling tanker for the Italian Air Force.
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Marines’ New KC-130J Passes Second Op EvalThe U.S. Marines’ new KC-130J, has successfully passed its’ second operational evaluation.
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Air Force May Restore Lockheed C-130JThe U.S. Air Force is rethinking its plan to end purchases of Lockheed Martin Corp.'s C-130J Hercules cargo aircraft in the coming fiscal year, notably because of the high cost of canceling the contract, the service's chief of staff told senators on Thursday.
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Iraqi pilots receive C-130 trainingA five-man crew from Squadron 23 of the Iraqi Air Force trained for the first time on flying and operating an American C-130 cargo plane outside of Iraq’s air space.
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Officials clear C-130J container delivery systemA stretch C-130J that is 15 feet longer than the normal C-130J underwent testing for its ability to carry about 40,000 pounds of bundled equipment.
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C-130s groundedThirty E-model C-130 Hercules of the USAF were grounded Feb. 10, and 60 other models including some E, H, H1 and HC-130P/N were placed on restricted flight status.
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Russia to double strength of Kant air base in Kyrgyzstan 2005The strength of the Russian air base Kant in Kyrgyzstan will be increased considerably this year, the commander-in-chief of Russia’s Air Force, General of the Army Vladimir Mikhailov has told Tass.
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Raytheon awarded follow up JPATS contractRaytheon Aircraft Co. has been given the go-ahead from the Department of Defense to build six additional T-6A Texan II Joint Primary Air Training System aircraft for the U.S. Air Force in a contract worth $59 million.
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Friday, February 11, 2005
Air Force version of Brahmos missile soonIndia is planning to make an Air Force version of the supersonic Brahmos cruise missile to suit Sukhoi MKI platform.
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Robotic copter on Titan ship falls, killing worker (Registratyion Required)A Fire Scout fell Monday as it was being hoisted from the experimental Sea Fighter warship, killing a shipyard worker and injuring two others.
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KC-130 tanker makes precautionary landingA U.S. Marine Corps refueling plane landed dragging a fuel hose on a runway at Kadena Air Base, Japan, on Thursday
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Sweden's Gripen in talks with Thailand and IndiaBoth Thailand and India are in talks with Gripen International on the procurement of the Jas 39 Gripen fighter plane.
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Tejas to be inducted into IAF by 2008The Indian government has signed an MoU with HAL for 40 of the Tejas jets. They will be inducted into service in 2008.
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Boeing gets good, bad news from military on V-22 OspreyThe U.S. military will spend more on the V-22 Osprey program next year but will order less of the controversial tilt-rotor aircrafts than expected.
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UK training over, first Hawk to be here by 2007The Indian government will begin receiving the first Hawk-132 in 2007.
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Lockheed Martin inks pact with Hindustan AeronauticsLockheed Martin, said it has inked a pact with India's state-run Hindustan Aeronautics to share information on the P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft.
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3 major Boeing programs fare well in latest defense budgetThe Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft and the F/A-18 Super Hornet are major Boeing programs tha are given major spending increases in the proposed budget.
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RAF rules out Hercules bombThe initial findings of an RAF board of inquiry into the crash a Hercules aircraft north of Baghdad has found no evidence of a bomb on board, defence sources said last night.
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Thursday, February 10, 2005
Study On USAF Tanker Options Delayed, Possibly For Months, DOD SaysThe completion of a study on U.S. Air Force tanker modernization options has been delayed, possibly for months, according to the U.S. Defense Department.
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Air show and open house will resume at McGuireMcGuire Air Force Base will host an air show and open house this year for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
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SUKHOI WILL OFFER FIGHTER AT EXPOSITIONSukhoi aircraft maker is featuring its Su-30MKI fighter and new SaM146 engine for regional RRJ airliners at Aero India 2005 in Bangalore.
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Russia Said to Sign Weapons Deal With U.S.Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will sign a deal to tighten control over portable anti-aircraft missiles during the Feb. 24 summit between Presidents Bush and Vladimir Putin in Bratislava, the Slovak capital.
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French firm offers supply of trainer jetsSnecma, the leading French aerospace firm, has offered to supply engines for the proposed advanced jet trainer (AJT) project of the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
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CIS commanders drill joint use of CIS air defence systemCIS commanders-in-chief of the air force and air defence systems attended practical lectures on the joint use of the troops of the CIS air defence system on Wednesday.
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Navy trims pilot training plansThe U.S. Navy will train about 160 fewer pilots this year.
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South Korean Air Force Chief Flies T-50 TrainerGeneral Lee Han-ho, Chief of Staff of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), flew the T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer recently.
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U.S. Air Force Orders Three Boeing C-40C AircraftThe U.S. Air Force has announced orders for three Boeing C-40C aircraft to provide worldwide transportation support for government officials.
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Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Pilot Delivers Pizza With Army HelicopterA British military pilot who used a Lynx army helicopter to deliver a pizza to his girlfriend has been disciplined, the Ministry of Defense said Tuesday.
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Sikorsky won't protest Marine One contract decisionSikorsky Aircraft Corp. said Tuesday it would not protest the Navy's decision last month to award the $1.3 billion contract to replace the Marine One presidential helicopter fleet to Lockheed Martin Corp.
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Political fight over aircraft carrier pains president's brotherU.S. President Bush's defense blueprint calls for eliminating an aircraft carrier, and that's making life difficult for his brother Jeb, governor of Florida where the USS John F. Kennedy is based.
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RAFAEL wins $25m Indian missile tenderRAFAEL Armament Development Authority Ltd. has won a tender to supply 20 Derby missiles and six practice missiles to the Indian Navy. The missiles are designated for the Indian Navy’s Sea Harrier vertical takeoff planes, which are stationed on Viraat aircraft carriers.
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NAVFAC to Build Test Facility for President’s New HelicoptersThe U.S. Navy is building a new facility to test and evaluate a new helicopter fleet to support the President of the United States.
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Northrop Grumman Begins Demonstration Flights for Army UAV ProgramNorthrop Grumman Corporation has begun ground and flight demonstrations of the new Hunter II medium altitude endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) it has proposed as the U.S. Army's next generation UAV system.
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Army budget shift may benefit BoeingThe U.S. Army is seeking $3.9 billion to buy new and refurbished helicopters from United Technologies Corp.'s Sikorsky unit and Boeing Co. in 2006 and 2007, shifting funds that had been intended for the now-canceled Comanche program, according to the Army budget office.
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Raytheon's Patriot GEM-T Missiles Two for TwoRaytheon Company’s low cost Patriot GEM-T missiles destroyed two target drones during a test conducted at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. last week.
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HAL, Snecma finalise joint ventureHindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and French aerospace group Snecma will form a joint venture to develop and market the Ardiden helicopter engine which powers HAL’s advanced light helicopter (ALH).
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PFI delays force MoD to rethink contractsU.K.'s £13bn order for new air-to-air refuelling tankers contract is not expected to be signed until the end of this year.
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Embraer Signs MOU with India for Development of a New AEW&C System (PDF)Embraer announced Feb. 8 that a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) has been signed with the Indian DRDO (Defense, Research and Development Organization) to support the Indian Air Force new Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system development. The new asset will be based on the EMB 145 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform.
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Delegation to meet with Navy over helicopter decisionConnecticut's congressional delegation has told Governor Jodi Rell that they want the Navy Department to explain why they chose a new helicopter for the president that is not made in the USA.
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Holloman Stealths Back on Chopping BlockTen of the 51 F-117A Nighthawk stealth jets based at Holloman Air Force Base would be mothballed under the latest defense budget proposal.
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Astra missile trials from JuneIndia's air-to-air astra missile, will be ready for trials from June this year.
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Government to Form Single Aircraft MakerThe Russian government plans to form a new company, tentatively called Unified Aircraft Corp., which will bring under one roof Russia's most famous aircraft brands -- Sukhoi, MiG, Tupolev and Ilyushin -- and be run by a management company headed by Valery Bezverkhny, acting CEO of Irkut.
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Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Lockheed withdraws bid for advanced radar systemUS defense giant Lockheed Martin has withdrawn its bid to supply Taiwan with an early-warning radar system as the country was reconsidering the controversial arms deal, leading defense journal Jane's Defense Weekly said.
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F-16 on IAF radar for fighter jet purchasesThe Indian Air Force (IAF) is actively considering the US F-16 multi-role combat aircraft for purchase as it acquires 125 fighter jets within the next four to five years. Request for Information (RFI) had been sent to four global firms - Lockheed Martin (F-16), MiG RAC of Russia (MiG 29 M2), Dassault Aviation of France (Mirage 2000-5) and Gripen of Sweden.
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Raytheon Awarded JSOW-C Full-Rate Production ContractRaytheon Company has been awarded a $55.7 million full-rate production contract to provide 189 AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW-C) to the U.S. Navy.
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Nelson asks Navy for second aircraft carrier at MayportU.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, has asked Adm. Vern Clark, chief of naval operations, to do what is necessary to move a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier from Norfolk, Va., to Naval Station Mayport.
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Reserve Airmen test C-130J in Southwest AsiaU.S. Air Force Reserve Command’s 403rd Wing 815th Airlift Squadron deployed to Southwest Asia to become part of a joint airlift mission.
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Desert Hawk UAV patrols TallilThe USAF 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Tallil Air Base, Iraq are using a miniature UAV called a “Desert Hawk” for security patrols.
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Osprey flights resume after additional aircraft arrivesU.S. Marines resumed flights Monday of the MV-22 tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft, which was grounded last month after officials discovered that the coating of a crucial part is wearing off faster than expected. An MV-22 Osprey was flown from Texas to the Marine Corps Air Station New River recently and that allowed training flights to resume.
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KBR wins role on UK aircraft carriersHalliburton unit Kellogg Brown Root was chosen by Britain on Monday to coordinate construction of two aircraft carriers worth £2.9bn ($5.4bn) that will be the Royal Navy’s largest ships.
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France looks for deals with Libya's militaryWhen French defense minister, Michèle Alliot-Marie, went to Tripoli to sign a letter of intent on military cooperation and procurement late saturday. Col. Qaddafi expressed interest to her in getting the Rafale fighter jets and the Tigre combat helicopters, a source close to the talks said, without providing specifics.
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Monday, February 07, 2005
A team effort - Team US101 to have first helicopters ready by 2009US101s should be ready to transport the U.S. president in 2009 with the entire fleet of 23 aircraft delivered to the Marine One squadron by late 2014.
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NCW Changing Urban Warfare, Official SaysNetwork centric warfare has dramatically affected urban warfare by reducing fratricide among friendly forces, allowing for more precision attack targeting and exposing the location of enemy forces, according to Col. Fred Stein (USA-Ret.), senior principal engineer for Network Centric Warfare for the MITRE Corp. at Fort Hood, Texas.
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Sikorsky Helped Engineer Its DefeatBetween 1987 and 1991, Sikorsky quietly sent high-level engineers and executives to England to help refine and market the EH101.
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Lockheed Martin leads charge to protect fighter jet from budget cuts (Registration Required)Defenders of the F/A-22 are responding to the proposed budget cuts with a huge counter-offensive that includes a flyover above the Super Bowl, a flood of letters to the White House and plans for an intense budget fight on Capitol Hill.
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3rd MAW provides security/transport during electionsThe 3rd U.S. Marine Aircraft Wing played a vital, yet largely unseen role in support of the recent Iraqi elections. It helped transport elections materials and workers throughout the Al Anbar province.
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Ex-Air Chief wary of US combat equipmentFormer IAF Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis cautioned the Indian government to "be most circumspect" on defence acquisitions from the US as American combat equipment could be rendered ineffective through denial of crucial spares.
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Arctic exercise shows unreliability of aging Sea King helicoptersCanada's largest-ever joint military exercise in the Arctic, Exercise Narwhal saw its Sea King helicopter breaking down repeatedly.
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HAL to unveil Concept Combat Air TrainerHindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)will display the mock up of its all-composite Combat Air Trainer at Aero India 2005.
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IAF's Sarang team hopes to come off with flying coloursIndian Air Force (IAF) helicopter display team, Sarang, is looking forward to demonstrate its performance for the first time at Aero India 2005.
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Lankan media says LTTE acquires Swiss-built Turbo aircraftThe Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have acquired at least one Swiss-built Pilatus PC -7 or PC-9 Turbo Trainer.
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Government close to BAE aircraft carrier dealThe U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) and BAE Systems are close to finalising a deal over management of a four billion pound aircraft carrier project, after BAE had reportedly threatened to withdraw from the project over a decision to grant a Halliburton unit the "physical integrator" role in construction of the new aircraft carriers.
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Sunday, February 06, 2005
EADS Missile Warning Sensor successfully tested on Royal Danish Airforce F-16 Fighter AircraftEADS Defence Electronics has successfully conducted first ground tests with its missile launch detection sensor MILDS on a Royal Danish Airforce F-16.
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Black Hawk's emergency landing on Tokyo campus was 'textbook perfect'A U.S. Amry UH-60 Black Hawk made a precautionary landing at Seijo University in Isehara City, Japan when a chip detector warning light came on.
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The Eagles have landedSome 30 to 40 T-37 and T-38 student pilots at Vance Air Force Base got a glimpse of their future Friday when four F-15 Eagle fighter jets stopped briefly in Enid on their way to Utah.
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Outgoing USFJ head: U.S.-Japan alliance is key to regional stabilityCommander, U.S. Forces Japan and Commander, Fifth Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan, Lt. Gen. Thomas C. Waskow will retire soon.
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U.S. Marine Corps Orders Another Lockheed Martin KC-130J Weapons Systems TrainerThe U.S. Marine Corps has exercised an option for a second KC-130J Weapons System Trainer (WST) from Lockheed Martin as part of a $73 million contract signed in 2004.
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Battlelabs help identify problems facing warfightersAirmen from seven U.S. Air Force battlelabs visited Air Force Special Operations Command headquarters here recently in an effort to identify the top 10 issues on the minds of warfighters.
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Apache copter pilots learning technique of firing during a diveApache helicopter pilots in South Korea are learning to fire during a dive, a technique the Army dropped after the Vietnam War but has resurrected for the war on terror.
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Drone returns to HollomanA Q-2 Firebee drone will return to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force for display.
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